Mo Farah failed in his bid to break the European 3,000m record when he was beaten in Doha last night.

Britain’s Olympic and world champion over the longer distances believed he had it in him to break Mohammed Mourhit’s time of 7min 26.62sec.

But Farah did not even win the race as he clocked 7:38.08 to finish behind winner Hagos Gebrhiwet, of Ethiopia, in the Diamond League opener.

Gebrhiwet, who took silver behind the Brit in the 2013 Moscow World Championships, ran a world-leading time of 7:38.08.

The most notable run of the evening came from two-time drug cheat Justin Gatlin , who clocked a PB of 9.74secs to win the 100m at the age of 33.

Great run: Gatlin was excellent in Doha (Image: Reuters)

Only world-record- holder Usain Bolt , Tyson Gay, Yohan Blake and Asafa Powell have run faster in history – and it confirms the American as a clear threat to Bolt’s world crown this summer.

Last year’s 200m Diamond Race winner, American Allyson Felix, made the perfect start to her title defence, winning in a world lead and Diamond League record-equalling time of 21.98. Britain’s Bianca Williams was sixth.

Another American, Jasmin Stowers, set a new world lead and Diamond League record time of 12.35 to improve on her personal best for the third time in 2015 and dominate a strong women’s 100m hurdles.